Army’s Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) Program

The Army is planning to develop and purchase a new Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) that will serve the dual purposes of operating as a combat vehicle and transporting soldiers to, from, and around the battlefield. The GCV is intended to replace the current fleet of Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), which operate with the service’s armoured combat brigades. The Congressional Budget Office(CBO) estimates that implementing the GCV program on the most recent schedule would cost $29 billion over the 2014-2030 period. This book compares the Army’s plan for the GCV with four other options the service could pursue instead. Although none of those alternatives would meet all of the Army’s goals for the GCV program, all are likely to be less costly and less risky (in terms of unanticipated cost increases and schedule delays) than the CBO anticipates will be the case under the Army’s plan. Some of the options would also offer advantages relative to the GCV in meeting the Army’s mission.